JOIN USAt least three Union Ministers of the Modi government attacked at the critics of the World Culture Festival organised by Art of Living Foundation (AoL), hailing the success of the three-day mega event, which concluded here on Sunday.
Addressing the programme, Union Minister Arun Jaitley said “a lot of efforts” were made to stop the holding of the mega event on the flood plains of the Yamuna. “But the scene at this sight is that environment is very beautiful here,” he said.
He also took dig at a section of media, maintaining that he did not even had to suffer any traffic congestion on his way to the venue of the programme.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu also attacked the critics of the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s World Cultural Festival, saying “it was not the Yamuna which is polluted but some ‘minds’ which must to be cleaned”.
“I saw in media that people are saying the Yamuna is polluted. I see from here and the Yamuna appears to be very clean and calm. Only minds are polluted,” he said.
He thanked Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for organising the programme, saying “We are moving forward. Tension is reducing, attention is increasing.” He also said human values were “eroding” and morals were “being foregone” with “increasing violence and obscenity” in public life, maintaining that efforts must be taken to bring all these things to an end.
Joining his cabinet colleagues, Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad also maintained there was “no pollution” and no environmental damage was caused at the event site. Sri Sri Ravishankar also took on the critics of his programme, saying it was a floating stage build at the venue for participants but people failed to understand how such stage can be constructed without digging deep in its foundation.
“They said it (stage) is unsafe. But I said I am here to think of every one’s security. Those strong from within can bring security to every one. Our job is to unite hearts and mind,” he said.